Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1887-12-24

tnat OF the ','Es-pss OF our population en-
gagged IN all kinds Of industries Ito. it3 are
employed in agriculture. i,074.23 IN profes-
sional and personal service =. .g}i. SO Of
whom are dome,tic servants apd labnrers
while l,sn.4b are employed IN trade AMI
transportation and 3.s57 liz are cassed as
employed IN manufacturing and mining
For present purposes, however, the last
number given should be consider ably re-
ducad. Without attempting To enunlerate
al, It Will be conceded that there s9ould be
deducted from those which it includes815 l4j
carpenters AMI ioinere, ~, 4ul nlliiners,
CresSDlakefS. and SeaTns'reSSe>, = ~ black
smiths -. ~, tallors and tailoreS-as. lU9. 4.3
masons. -. 341 Dn.chers 81. a bakers, 233.o>3
piastefars. AMI 4,-s engaged N n.annfactur-
ing agricultural implements, amounting in
the aggregate to i.2l4U15, leaying 2 49,, ~
$efsons employed in such manufacturing Il
5ustries as are claimed TO lie benefited ly
high tariff.
- these the appeal is made 10 save their
employment and maintain their wages bv re-
sStlng change. There should be no d.sf o
slt,on to answer such suggestions hv tha
allegation that they are Ill IA minority anon,
those who labor. and therefore should foregC
an advantage in the interest of low prices
for the ma jorlty: their compensation, as 1t
may be affected by the operation Of the tariff
laws, should al al times be scrupuiously kept
IN view; and yet with slight >eilectlon they
Will not overlook the fat that they are con.
sumerS with the rest; that they. too, have
their own wants and those of their FAMILIES
to supply from their earnings anl that the
price Of the neceSsaries of lite. as well as the
amount Of their wages. will regulate the meas
ure of their welfare and comfort
But the reduction of taxation demanded
Should b so measured as not to neCeSs tate or
justify either the loss of employment by the
working man nor the leSsenng OF his wages,
and the profits still remaining to The nanu-
facturer, after a necessary reai luStnent,
should furnish no excuse for the sa .rifice of
the interests of his employees either in their
opportunity to work in the di-
mlnutlon Of their compensation Nor
can the worker in manufactures fail
to understand that While a high
tariff is claimed to be necessary TO allow III.
payment Of renunpratlve wages, 1t certainly
results in very large increase III the price OF
near y all sorts of manufactures, which, in
almost countless forms, he needs for the lise
of u mself and his family. He receives 1T
the desk OF his employer his wages and per
haps before be reaches his home is obliged
in a purchase for family use Of an arti, IL
which embraces his own labor to return III
the payment OF the increase III price winch
the tariff ermits, the hard-earned comI,eilst-
ton OF many days OF toll.
! The farmer aud the agriculturist who
manufacture nothing, but who paw the III
creased price which the tariff imposes upon
/ every agricultural Implement upon all hc
! wears and upon al he uses and owns except the
| increase Of his focks and herds and such
things as his h>lsbanlry produces from the
! soil, Il invited to aid IN ntainlmL the
| present situation, and he Is told that a
! nigh duty on imported wool IS necessary tor
/ the benefit of those who have sheep to shear.
in order that the price of their wool may
/ tie increased. They, OF course, aie not
/ reminded that the farmer who has no sheep
is by this scheme obliged, in his purchase OF
| clothing and WOOlen goods to pay tribute
/ to his fellow farmer as well as to the manu-
/ facturer and merchant; nor IS any mention
made of the fact that the sheep owners them
| selves and their households. must wear cloth
ing and Use other articles manufactured from
the wool they sell at tariff prices, and thus as
consumers must return their share of this IN
creased price to the tradesman
think it may be fairly assumed that a
large proportion ot the sheap owned lv the
| farmers throughout the country are lnunl
in small flock, numbering from twenty five
I to tiftva The duty on the grade of imported
wool which these sheep Weld is 10 cents
each pound if Of the value "t 80 cents or less
AMI l. cents If Of the'Z value OF more than
cents If the liberal estimat" Of SIX
pounds be allowed for each fleece III.
duty thereon woali he 10 or - cents
and t,jS NAV lie taken as the utmost
enhancement "f its price t. the farmer hl
r.aSon of this duty. Eighteen dalarS WouE
thu, represent the increased prlceot the Woo
from twenty five sheep and thirty six dollar:
that from the wool of fifty sheep. aud al
preee1t values this addition would amount tt
ah'nt one-third of lts price. If upon It's SALE
the farmer receives this a less tariff profit
the wool leave his hands charged with Or.
clse Y that sum. which III all IL changes wi,
ainere TO 1t, until it reaches the consumer
Wncn manufactured into cloth and other
goods and material for use. its cost is moi
only incl eascd to the extent Of the farmer
tariff profit. but further sum has beer
added for the benefit cf the manufacture
unler the OJerat on OF other tariff laws
In the meantime the day arrives wher
the farmer finds it necessary to- purchas
woolen goods aud material to clo:he him
self and family for the winter When h,
faces the traleslnan for that purl o,e b.
discovers that be IS obliged not only L
return in the Of increased price HI, TART
profit on the wool he sold land which ther
parh laps lies before him n manufactured form
tut that he must aid a cons!ioraDl" sun
/ thereto to meet a further increase IN COS
caused BY a tariff duty on the manufac cture
Thus N the end he Is aroused to the fact I ha
he has PAID upon moderate purchase. Us
result OF the tariff scheme. which. when h.
sold his wool seemed 50 profitable an lnCreaN
in price more than sufficient to s~eap ava,
Gil the tariff profit h. received upon the WOO
be produced ami sold
When the numbers of farmers engaged il
wool raising is compared with all the farmer
n the country and the small proportion The
: hear 10 our population i considered: whon
i male app aren't that IN the case of lag
part If tho~e vino own sheep tn@ benefit. OF th
present tariff on wooi y llu~arv, and atsove AL
when II must lie cons eiei that Tie increase o
the cost Of living caused by such tariff l-ramc
a burden upon thJ-e With moderate mean
and the poor. the employed and unemployed
the sick AMI we'll and the young and old an
that il constitutes Tax which with reieatles
grasp fastens upon the clothing Of ever
man. woman and chill in tha land. reason
are suggested why the removal Or reiIctl1
Of tits duty should lie included II q revl,lo
] 81 orr tariff laws
III speaking Of the increased cost - the cor
sumer Of O1r home manufactures. r.~ultau
! from duty laIduIon imported articles ~ tn
same description. the fact - not ove-luo-,-
tnat - Gp@lltlon among our domestic prf
\ dUtrs ,pInet,Ina, has tb- @ffe 81 se4pn- IL
prIne II their pr"iuct, tes"w fh.. highest .sia
hy such duty. but Il : Hafo~.o.lS tha
tins competition IS tU~o often ~'rafel@st I,
combinations quite pres allen, a thlS tss@-
( ami frequently aei irI>:> when have {"
e thsiT je~.t thu regulation e the supply an
price If connoiIats ma - ant sp.I - ~ II
E hers Of the combination The people czs
{ hariiy hope for any consideration III II
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